Monday, August 18, 2008

"World Poker Tour"- WPT World Ladies Championship

Up until now, the WPT has always held just one female-exclusive event each season. Beginning this season, that changes. In addition to the Ladies' Night Out event earlier this season, tonight is the inaugural WPT World Ladies Championship at the Bellagio. The opening chip count:

Kim won the first pot as her ALL IN bet was enough to make everyone else fold, taking her to $43,400. Hand #2:

Donna: (KC)(JD)Vanessa: (AC)(JS)

BASE POT: $14,000THE FLOP: (KS)(2D)(3H)

Top pair for Varlotto. She bets $12K and wins a $26K pot as Selbst folds afterwards. Kerslake got the third pot with an ALL IN bet, taking her to $20,300.

Early on in hand #4, Nguyen goes ALL IN, and sure enough, with the pot jumping to $43,600, nobody else jumps on the chance, so she gets that pot. We then move to three-way action on the fifth hand.

Van: (KC)(JH)Donna: (KS)(9S)Vanessa: (10D)(7H)

BASE POT: $16,800THE FLOP: (6D)(AC)(KH)

Middle pair for both Nguyen and Varlotto. The chip leader bets $6,700...the other two fold, so she wins the pot at $23,500.

Next, Kerslake puts her tournament life on the line against Selbst.

Vanessa: (6C)(3H)Cindy: (9H)(3C)

POT: $17,000THE FLOP: (2C)(6S)(9C)

Both made their best pair.

TURN: JACK OF HEARTS

If the next card is not a 6, Kerslake doubles up for the second time tonight...

RIVER: 3 OF DIAMONDS

...yes. Here's the next hand.

Janice: (4D)(3D)Vanessa: (AH)(4H)

BASE POT: $17,500THE FLOP: (KH)(2C)(JH)

Flush draw for the chip leader, with both players 3/5 toward a straight. After Kim bets eight grand, Selbst bets 100 grand! If Kim calls now, she would be ALL IN...no, so Selbst adds on to her lead with a $125,500 pot! The new chip count at the 30 minute mark:

Selbst has a Broadway Straight draw and a Queen-high straight draw. She then tries to make the other two fold by betting 25 grand...well, Tyner sticks around, knowing that she has an open-ended straight draw.

RIVER: 7 OF DIAMONDS

No straight for anybody, but Tyner takes the lead with a pair of 7's...and they hold up to give her an $88K pot. She is now within $3,000 of Selbst, $198,500-$195,500.

Selbst then tries to get rid of Kerslake on this next hand.

Vanessa: (AH)(3H)Cindy: (AD)(JH)

POT: $51KTHE FLOP: (KC)(JC)(5D)- DUDTURN: 10 OF CLUBS

At this point, Selbst can only hope for a split pot. That will happen only if a Queen appears as the river card...

RIVER: QUEEN OF DIAMONDS

...there it is! Kerslake then doubles up to $33K after the next hand. The top two in chips battle it out in the next hand.

Nancy: (AS)(QD)Vanessa: (QH)(4S)

BASE POT: $28KTHE FLOP: (5H)(3S)(KC)- DUD

Both then bet $12K.

TURN: JACK OF SPADES

Tyner now has a Broadway Straight draw. Selbst tries to stop her from going on by betting $21K...but Tyner matches the bet.

RIVER: 6 OF CLUBS

Tyner hangs on for a $94K pot and takes over the lead! New chip count at this point: